[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6620215,"mediaKeyId","2813053-3e379fc2f40eb4f337009ec627ef572b","parentId",2813053,"title","Legislators press OSIT on broadband rollout as agency details $552 million BEAD last‑mile awards and middle‑mile permitting delays","audioSeconds",1194,"startMs",967000,"endMs",2161000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813053-3e379fc2f40eb4f337009ec627ef572b&start=967&end=2161","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813053-3e379fc2f40eb4f337009ec627ef572b/thumbnail_967000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6620215/Nevada/Legislators-press-OSIT-on-broadband-rollout-as-agency-details-552-million-BEAD-lastmile-awards-and-middlemile-permitting-delays","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620215-6e3b2139cae175dc31113c8b818ade4d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607766&Signature=W-Wp0P1DW914fzuj4WozkKrJ7eVQ6RpmNAF8v079pkdcsTNae71aB5kHk67X0-6qSIXiR8ucMA~UGjmazKTIparLFpRHyTkCMH9JHQ3id0FFVbT7LXtm8XkJkoNOIycOsekq4Pgt1lOL5izhcAeWE5gtKJINiE6fyp6dMfDrAU8kvmuwDI5dFpt1oapFpgNAwuJWhfc~ndkdgw3tuNarfDtF364RQwTZEFnu6ctUbkGbkORZsRAwWHkiEXynwl0A~MJq0crBkOUrcMvXhyH3Zk07uBLz-Y92zpoxktRhd2TfIHHccthcc-zdJas4XZjpKlm2G2OmCY5BLLOui4maig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nevada State Legislature","date","2025-03-28T19:42:11.687Z","article","At a joint hearing of the Nevada Legislature’s Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees, Brian Mitchell, director of the Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT), described a broadband deployment plan that combines federal BEAD funding with state ARPA and capital projects funds and said OSIT has awarded last‑mile grants to connect roughly 51,000 homes across Nevada.

Mitchell told lawmakers the BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) last‑mile awards total about $416,000,000 for Nevada and, when combined with other federal and state contributions, total about $552,000,000. He said awarded providers included 19 internet service providers and that roughly 80% of awarded last‑mile projects bid to deliver fiber, with about 10% using fixed wireless and 10% using satellite. “We were able to receive bids for fiber optic Internet for about 80% of the bids,” Mitchell said.

Lawmakers focused on two related risks: (1) the state’s ability to spend ARPA and capital projects funds before the federal expenditure deadline and (2) federal permitting delays on a large middle‑mile route that crosses Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. Mitchell described a middle‑mile NTIA grant (roughly $43,000,000) plus a state capital projects allocation of approximately $73,600,000 to build a state‑owned I‑80 route from the Utah border to Reno. He said engineering and design work are complete and that construction will begin once outstanding federal permits from BLM are issued. “Permitting is the long pole in the tent,” Mitchell said. He told the committee he expects the remaining BLM permits to be issued this summer and that construction spending will accelerate after permitting is complete.

Several lawmakers said the pace of spending to date is concerning. Majority Leader Patricia Cannizzaro cited data showing only modest ARPA capital projects drawdowns to date and asked whether the state can realistically obligate and spend the funds before the federal deadlines. Mitchell explained that funds have been obligated in contract awards but are not disbursed until contractors hit invoice milestones; he said the engineering and permitting work explain the slow initial spend and that construction invoices will cause a “hockey stick” increase in spend rates once BLM permits arrive. He told the committee he expects a “significant increase in the amount of funding” drawn down starting in the second half of calendar 2025.

OSIT said it has assigned project managers who meet weekly with subrecipients, require daily location and weekly production reports, and will perform field inspections to track progress. Mitchell said contracts include completion milestones and remedies for missed deadlines and that the agency will continue close oversight. He also said OSIT had engaged in a broad public challenge process and received more than 500 BEAD applications during procurement.

When asked about price caps and award selection, Mitchell said Nevada did not adopt rigid price caps in the BEAD procurement and that the selection process examined applicants’ technical, financial and operational capabilities. He added OSIT intentionally prioritized awards to vendors with demonstrated ability to construct and operate networks and expects the state’s oversight and project management to reduce risk of contractor failure. The agency also plans digital skills and adoption programs to encourage subscription after networks are deployed.

Mitchell asked the committee for continued monitoring and said OSIT publishes a monthly public construction dashboard showing permitting, pre‑construction, construction and completion status for segments. Several legislators urged more frequent status reports to the Legislature and interim finance committee.

What lawmakers asked for: multiple members requested regular updates (monthly or quarterly) on permitting status, invoicing, and actual spend, and asked OSIT to return to provide those updates. OSIT agreed to provide regular cadence reporting and to continue direct coordination with BLM and federal partners.

Prognosis: OSIT projects first BEAD last‑mile connections this summer or fall in some areas and continuing deployments through 2029; major middle‑mile construction is expected to expand spending materially once federal permits are issued.

Ending: Lawmakers signaled continued interest and concern about the pace of permit approvals and the state’s ability to meet expenditure deadlines. OSIT emphasized it will keep the committee and the public updated through a published dashboard and direct briefings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/28/2025 - Joint Meeting of the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means","oneSentenceSummary","At a joint hearing of the Nevada Legislature’s Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees, OSIT director Brian Mitchell outlined a $552 million broadband deployment package that combines NTIA BEAD awards with ARPA and state capital projects funds to connect about 51,000 homes, while lawmakers pressed the agency on permitting delays, slow ARPA spend rates and contract oversight.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature NV, Nevada","taxId",78440,"location","Nevada","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6620206,"Universities, research institutes and startups urge continued and increased Knowledge Fund support as GOED outlines tech commercialization work",1500,8534000,10034000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813053-3e379fc2f40eb4f337009ec627ef572b&start=8534&end=10034","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813053-3e379fc2f40eb4f337009ec627ef572b/thumbnail_8534000.jpg","/articles/6620206/Nevada/Universities-research-institutes-and-startups-urge-continued-and-increased-Knowledge-Fund-support-as-GOED-outlines-tech-commercialization-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620206-8d4886c2710a06a5f8ce3af7ce4d286c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607766&Signature=BEJiVG8JhDUfpkMZH2s~MAY61UWJ~Ncicnza20Z2Zve-E2cnTB6TMgE8CTEEpcIGdmofSijvF550ws4ZOvXQTU-6fUARHvFooDU~olfQH9z1letjZ1qp84ag56G20tF5VIQoZvit-QW5CMSMzXGY9VKiCkjgvR8IM5yeT1lFfV1TwBcnuCfVrxfKmzerjC4Rq39610a3AVyvhjaqh-4X3uS~4Hqsev5e752Ii94dUBdJOoRg3s40ibmh6zS0Hw~Vw9Czg8LMScgPvSQ4hQ6jh00iuQeIuL61aemNaqvv6aEwNJYm9~aX2qFYGSjuuqRzNHj-BgTNosMc17u~PUqyLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tom Burns, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), and Karsten Heise, head of innovation‑based economic development at GOED, presented the agency’s innovation portfolio and requested continued funding for the Knowledge Fund and related programs.

Karsten Heise described the Knowledge Fund as GOED’s principal instrument to grow an innovation‑driven economy, attract federal and private capital, and translate university research into commercial ventures. He said other states have increased strategic investments and that Nevada’s existing Knowledge Fund annual scale is comparatively small. He presented a summarized economic impact projection tied to the budget request: the combined budget request would, in GOED’s model, support thousands of jobs and tens of millions in state tax revenue if the office’s programs scale up.

University and research leaders from the Desert Research Institute (DRI), University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) described specific Knowledge Fund‑supported outcomes:

- Kamut Acharya, president of DRI, said Knowledge Fund grants aided DRI’s participation in the Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine (SWISSY), an NSF‑funded sustainability innovation engine; SWISSY awarded roughly $15,000,000 in initial NSF funding and aims for a multi‑year partnership that could bring additional federal investment. He highlighted research projects on evaporation quantification and other water‑security work.

- Beau Bernhard of UNLV described Black Fire Innovation (UNLV’s innovation hub) and startup examples that spun out of university research, including firms working on lithium battery safety and atmospheric water harvesting. He said Black Fire hosts more than 100 early‑stage companies.

- Myrtle Gautam of UNR said the Knowledge Fund has supported NCAR (Nevada Center for Applied Research), helped affiliated companies raise hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital and created high‑tech jobs; she described how projects such as EcoAtoms and American Battery Technology Company have leveraged university research.

Speakers emphasized two themes: (1) Knowledge Fund investments attract follow‑on federal grants and private venture capital, and (2) the fund builds local infrastructure—labs, accelerators and commercialization expertise—that allows Nevada to compete for national innovation programs. Karsten Heise said GOED’s analysis projects that an enhanced Knowledge Fund will produce substantial job creation and state tax revenue over time; he provided numerical modeling that the committee can request for details.

Public commenters including business and civic leaders reiterated the same points, noting specific local successes (WaterStart, Waver, ZetroGenesis) and asking the Legislature to sustain or increase Knowledge Fund support.

Ending: GOED asked the committee to consider the Knowledge Fund enhancements as part of the economic development budget; university and industry witnesses argued the fund is an essential lever for commercializing research, attracting federal grants and catalyzing private investment.
","University and research leaders, and GOED officials, told the joint budget committee the Knowledge Fund is the primary state tool for seed investment in research commercialization. Speakers from UNLV, UNR and DRI cited venture capital attraction, company formation and local job creation tied to Knowledge Fund‑backed programs.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6620210,"Office of Energy details expanded biennial budget as director cites surge in federal awards",457,135000,592000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813053-3e379fc2f40eb4f337009ec627ef572b&start=135&end=592","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813053-3e379fc2f40eb4f337009ec627ef572b/thumbnail_135000.jpg","/articles/6620210/Nevada/Office-of-Energy-details-expanded-biennial-budget-as-director-cites-surge-in-federal-awards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620210-3acb29a8e7e767110c2fada00c297307/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607766&Signature=F6~60aQjwEwVcVIS4id~GClJkBzXooHKfmpUapTK8xcKF3dgs7y0ahjFq3k8eG8kaULxStiM34uuIHns~cxb3OhlEMtiqDMTJYqwHUMwJRWbugpgGzLIASLQIYsur-XMnY0SZikHGhri6Qxn8b9nTkUmi1LDtxVovHA5wDRR0YVJvVhQEbo8K92vN8-XfgSKQyn33ox2COEw1vdY~RGUzawViaNH2574m7Ciabd0FJutJGxotxqU7PsMvmmParkQc8zZmp2b1JKHlQ-IVhiWNmHqJBbO9F8iNdVaX5AkxCE6BbErGaAM79SCF-2kfp4~bT35G7WVmCq3tNTOZX30nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dwayne McClinton, director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy, and Deputy Director Matthew Brown presented the agency’s budget to the joint Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees and described a steep increase in operating and programmatic dollars driven largely by federal grants and recent grant approvals.

McClinton and Brown told the committee GOE’s budget accounts for FY26–FY27 increased materially compared with prior biennia after the agency pursued federal funding. Brown summarized the agency mission: “Our vision is to provide all Nevadans affordable, reliable, sustainable, and clean energy choices through a holistic, realistic approach,” and said GOE manages programs across energy efficiency, energy assurance, renewable energy and workforce development. Brown said the agency currently has 19 full‑time equivalents with six vacancies and that program dollars now account for the majority of the agency’s expenditures.

Committee members questioned the sustainability of a budget that relies heavily on federal grants. Senator Patricia Cannizzaro asked what assurances GOE had about the continuity of federal funds and what would happen if anticipated tranches were cut. Brown responded that OS OGE has had conversations with the U.S. Department of Energy, that active grants are currently drawable and not being clawed back, and that the agency had developed contingency scenarios when federal guidance changed earlier in the year. He said some program elements could continue using the agency’s renewable energy account in the short term, but that the renewable account did not contain sums sufficient to cover an entire multi‑million dollar shortfall.

McClinton described grants and programs won in recent years: a State Energy Program award under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, ARPA allocations for state‑owned building energy audits, an increase to the agency’s existing rebate programs, a home electrification/appliance rebate program (HEAR), an energy efficiency revolving loan fund (EERLF), and new funding for codes adoption assistance to support local communities. He also listed a set of internal enhancement requests for the upcoming biennium for staff training, additional lease and conference space, travel and equipment replacement.

Lawmakers asked how GOE would prioritize spending if federal awards were reduced and whether the Legislature would need to cut programs. Brown said the agency had prepared multiple scenarios (A, B, C, D) and that staff had been directed to identify program elements that could continue on state renewable energy account dollars if federal funding were reduced. “We identified some areas of those programs if we were to lose funding that we'd still like to go forward using the renewable energy account,” Brown said, adding “I can't say if something were to happen outside of what we've been told that money would get cut. We couldn't fulfill all of it.”

The committee asked no additional budget actions; GOE staff said they would remain available for follow‑up and to answer questions after the presentation.

Ending: The Office of Energy’s presentation showed a substantial transition from a small operating base to a program‑heavy budget driven by federal grants. Agency officials said they have contingency plans and continue to pursue alternative funding but acknowledged the state does not have reserves equal to a full federal shortfall.
","The Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy told the joint Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees that its operating budget has grown substantially after aggressive federal grant pursuit; lawmakers asked how secure federal grants are and what the state would do if federal funding was reduced.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Legislators press OSIT on broadband rollout as agency details $552 million BEAD last‑mile awards and middle‑mile permitting delays

Universities, research institutes and startups urge continued and increased Knowledge Fund support as GOED outlines tech commercialization work

Office of Energy details expanded biennial budget as director cites surge in federal awards